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How do Extreme Weather Temperatures Affect Car Batteries?

Extreme cold and heat can cause your vehicle’s battery and you some big problems if you’re not prepared for them. Each season’s temperature extreme pulls on the charging system in different ways. As such, it’s recommended to service your vehicle’s battery each autumn and spring.

Cold temperatures thicken your vehicle’s motor oil. That, in turn, creates more work for the battery and starter relay to create a charge that turns over the engine. If you’ve tried to start your car on a very cold morning, this scenario is familiar to you. Add to that the additional time that items such as the wipers, heater, and lights are running, and you can see how the electrical is continually worked. The summer temperatures, on the other hand, can create more damage to the battery. The heat naturally evaporates liquids, such as the battery’s electrolytes. Not paying attention to the fluid levels will cause the battery to overheat.

When you’re in Wilsonville, OR, don’t hesitate to stop in to service center at Parker Johnstone’s Wilsonville Honda and speak with one of our knowledgeable technicians about best practices for your car’s battery.